Confident people can laugh at themselves. If you would like to stress less and smile more, ask yourself these six questions that should convince you to stop taking yourself too seriously.

1. Stressing out about a situation won’t make it go away, so why not try to find the humor in it?

Stress is a self-inflicted mental nightmare. It’s amazing how your brain can turn a minor inconvenience into a major headache before the day is over. Please understand that stressing out is the least effect problem-solving technique in existence. I find it helpful to distance myself from events that stress me out as soon as they happen. I replay the event in my head, but this time as a spectator instead of a victim. Looking at the same situation as a person without emotional attachment puts me in my place, because nothing ever proves to be as bad as it seemed with a little perspective.

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2. Everyone is crazy in their own way, so why not embrace your weirdness?

If you think everybody you know has a perfect life due to the content of their Facebook feed, I can assure you that isn’t the case. Most people only post pictures and status updates that make them look good. Think twice before comparing yourself to a person based on the picturesque life they reflect publicly, because you’re probably witnessing a highlight reel that bears no resemblance to reality. And besides, it’s better to own the weird things about you than it is to hide them in a sea of upbeat statuses and family photos.

3. No one who changed the world conformed to society’s expectations, so why should you be a sheep?

How many conformists did you learn about in history class? I can’t recall a single one. Everyone you admire broke rank with what society expected of them, because there is nothing noteworthy about conforming to somebody else’s standards.

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4. Come to think of it, society is pretty screwed up as it is, so why would you want to have anything to do with it?

More people are interested in reading gossip magazines than literature. Reality TV shows devoid of substance garner more viewers than thought-provoking autobiographies or emotionally-wrenching dramas worth watching. Let that settle for a moment and ask yourself, “Is this a society that I want to be a part of?” I hope not.

5. You don’t have a crystal ball, so why should you obsess with things you can’t predict?

No matter how much you might wish for something to happen (or not), agonizing about it won’t do you a bit of good. You can, however, take as much action as possible to stack the odds in your favor. Even if things don’t work out as you hoped (how often does that really happen?), don’t freak out. An ability to react swiftly and decisively to a constantly changing set of circumstances will take you farther than any amount of planning ever would.

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6. People who take everything seriously are miserable to be around, so why would you do such a thing?

Would you rather hang out with a person who is able to laugh at themselves when they do something silly, or a person who gets upset at the slightest provocation? Would you rather have a friend who can cheer you up when you’re feeling down, or a friend who makes you feel even more depressed? Would you rather have a partner who is considerate enough confess their faults, or a partner who is so egocentric that they are unwilling to accept blame for anything? If you can’t stop taking yourself too seriously, considering those questions should be an eye-opener. Answer them honestly and do likewise. If you have a friend or co-worker who is a bit on the “serious” side, feel free to lighten them up by sharing this article.

7 Ways To Deal With Negative People

Some people will have a rain cloud hanging over them, no matter what the weather is outside. Their negative attitude is toxic to your own moods, and you probably feel like there is little you can do about it.

But that couldn’t be farther from the truth.

If you want to effectively deal with negative people and be a champion of positivity, then your best route is to take definite action through some of the steps below.

1. Limit the time you spend with them.

First, let’s get this out of the way. You can be more positive than a cartoon sponge, but even your enthusiasm has a chance of being afflicted by the constant negativity of a friend.

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In fact, negativity has been proven to damage your health physically, making you vulnerable to high levels of stress and even cardiac disease. There’s no reason to get hurt because of someone else’s bad mood.

Though this may be a little tricky depending on your situation, working to spend slightly less time around negative people will keep your own spirits from slipping as well.

2. Speak up for yourself.

Don’t just absorb the comments that you are being bombarded with, especially if they are about you. It’s wise to be quick to listen and slow to speak, but being too quiet can give the person the impression that you are accepting what’s being said.

3. Don’t pretend that their behavior is “OK.”

This is an easy trap to fall into. Point out to the person that their constant negativity isn’t a good thing. We don’t want to do this because it’s far easier to let someone sit in their woes, and we’d rather just stay out of it.

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But if you want the best for this person, avoid giving the false impression that their negativity is normal.

4. Don’t make their problems your problems.

Though I consider empathy a gift, it can be a dangerous thing. When we hear the complaints of a friend or family member, we typically start to take on their burdens with them.

This is a bad habit to get into, especially if this is a person who is almost exclusively negative. These types of people are prone to embellishing and altering a story in order to gain sympathy.

Why else would they be sharing this with you?

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5. Change the subject.

When you suspect that a conversation is starting to take a turn for the negative, be a champion of positivity by changing the subject. Of course, you have to do this without ignoring what the other person said.

Acknowledge their comment, but move the conversation forward before the euphoric pleasure gained from complaining takes hold of either of you.

6. Talk about solutions, not problems.

Sometimes, changing the subject isn’t an option if you want to deal with negative people, but that doesn’t mean you can’t still be positive.

I know that when someone begins dumping complaints on me, I have a hard time knowing exactly what to say. The key is to measure your responses as solution-based.

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You can do this by asking questions like, “Well, how could this be resolved?” or, “How do you think they feel about it?”

Use discernment to find an appropriate response that will help your friend manage their perspectives.

7. Leave them behind.

Sadly, there are times when we have to move on without these friends, especially if you have exhausted your best efforts toward building a positive relationship.

If this person is a family member, you can still have a functioning relationship with them, of course, but you may still have to limit the influence they have over your wellbeing.

That being said, what are some steps you’ve taken to deal with negative people? Let us know in the comments.